Thursday, July 17, 2014

Do you ever get tired of the same old salads? This one is a little more unusual but just as delicious as the more common potato salad and others like it.

I was thinking about the time in the past when I was employed at a restaurant and about the food that the diners always raved about and this was one of the recipes they couldn't seem to get enough of. I never would have imagined that it could be good and remember being very surprised when I tasted it to find that I agreed with them!!

Very simple and a lot less time consuming than potato salad, woohoo! And I like that it's a little more out of the ordinary. :)

3 lbs. baby carrots

1 medium sized green pepper,

sliced very thin

1 medium sized onion,

sliced very thin

1 sm. can tomato soup

1 cup sugar

½ cup olive oil

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ - 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Steam carrots till they are crisp/tender. Place immediately into cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain.

Slice pepper and onion.

Mix dressing ingredients and pour over vegetables. Mix and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors blend.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

We spent the past weekend in Dalton, Georgia watching these boys play ball.

Back row 4th from the left is our son Anthony.

Being the 3rd boy in a row means that you rarely get the opportunity to do something first that your brothers have not already done so this was extra special for him and for us.

To say I was excited when he hit a grand slam is an understatement!!! Seriously, I love to watch my boys play ball! Big Cheesy Grin! ☺

So. Much. Fun!!

They did quite well and were undefeated all weekend! In addition to being from three different teams when they are at home and two being from another state I'd say the coaches get a shout out too for pulling it all together!

Danny and Victor cheers to you both!

Summer is going faster than I ever remember it before but it's all good.

This is the first year that Lin gets to play on and coach a team that all his boys are on. It's something he has looked forward to since the time he realized it as a possibility. It's great fun to watch them do their thing and listen to their stories! My husband and I are both athletic and the boys seem to have acquired the right combo of athleticism which really makes it fun to watch their games. :)

Monday, July 7, 2014

We are enjoying the delicious Black Raspberries from the garden and the surrounding woods

( as do the Robins and the other winged critters, grr!)

With the black raspberry and vanilla flavors often put together and with company coming for a party I thought it would be fun to make a sort of shortcake/coffeecake type of cake to eat with them. I had a couple of French Vanilla cake mixes on hand and decided to beef them up a little to improve the flavor and texture.

This got a thumbs up from everyone here and go very well with the black raspberries.

Although the boys still prefer to eat it it with strawberries. Either way it is a quick and easy route to destination delicious!!

2 French Vanilla Cake Mixes,

(reserve 8 oz. dry mix)

1 stick butter, browned and cooled slightly

1½ cups buttermilk

1 vanilla bean, (contents of)

1 Tablespoon clear vanilla

4 whole eggs + 1 yolk

Crumbs:

Reserved dry mix

2/3 cup brown sugar

4 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 vanilla bean (contents of)

Topping:

heavy whipping cream

vanilla

powdered sugar

Fresh Black Raspberries

sugar

Mix the cake mix according to package directions using the buttermilk and butter as substitutes for the water and oil with the addition of vanilla extract and bean contents. Cut the bean in half and scrape the inside with a spoon.

For the crumbs cut the butter into the dry ingredients until small pea sized crumbs form and sprinkle over the top of the batter.

Bake in a non-stick sprayed large cookie sheet @350° until a cake tester inserted close to the center comes out clean. Approximately 20-25 minutes. (I used a square Princess House bar pan and an 11 x 7 x 1.5 in glass baking pan).

Serve with Whipped cream and fresh black raspberries.

I like to put a little sugar on the berries and stir them and then let them sit long enough for the juices to form and then spoon it over the cake.